Nielsen: Government Needs Industry to Help Address Growing Cyber Threats

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said the federal government needs the private sector to detect and deter emerging cyber threats, The Hill reported Tuesday.

During the agency’s recent Science and Technology Directorate’s Cybersecurity and Innovation Showcase, Nielsen highlighted that the rates of threats and risks are outpacing the government’s ability to identify, assess and address them. Nielsen said the growing risks in cyberspace also increase the government’s need to partner with companies to prepare for future cyber attacks.

“We’re focused on today’s threats, we’re coming down on yesterday’s threats, but we want to make sure we can rise and stand and know what’s coming at us,” she said. “And that’s what we ask you to help us do.” 

Nielsen also noted the use of connected devices adds to DHS concerns that may put the government at a higher risk of interference. She said the number of such devices linked to the internet could reach 75 billion by 2025.

“So it’s not a matter of if an attack happens or when, but it’s how long can we withstand it and how can we innovate while we are under attack,” Nielsen said.